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Hospital Preparedness for Possible Nonconventional Casualties: An Israeli Experience
Title: Hospital Preparedness for Possible Nonconventional Casualties: An Israeli Experience
Date: 2004
Author: Shaul Schreiber, M.D.; Naomi Yoeli, M.A., M.Ed.; Gedalia Paz, Ph.D.; Gabriel I. Barbash, M.D., M.P.H.; David Varssano, M.D.; Nurit Fertel, R.N.; Avi Hassner, M.D.; Margalit Drory, M.S.W.; Pinchas Halpern, M.D.
Institution: Elsevier, Inc.
Bibliographic Entry: Schreiber, Shaul, Naomi Yoeli, Gedalia Paz, Gabriel I. Barbash, David Varssano, Nurit Fertel, Avi Hassner, Margalit Drory, and Pinchas Halpern. “Hospital Preparedness for Possible Nonconventional Casualties: An Israeli Experience.” General Hospital Psychiatry 26 (2004): 359-366.
Electronic Link: http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0163834304000799
Article is copyrighted; access article via a library portal or journal subscription.
Key Words: chemical and biological casualties, disaster management, hardiness, nonconventional war, preparedness, resilience, terrorism
Summary of Key Points, Issues, Conclusions:
Those in healthcare have been preparing since 9/11 for medical response due to various mass terror attacks. The decision by Tel Aviv Medical Center to treat suicide-bombing mass casualties during the time leading up to the Iraq war served as motivation for launching a preparedness program in response to possible attacks using biological and chemical agents of mass destruction. Adapting Quarantelli’s disaster mitigation approach to the “microinfrastructure” of the hospital, and with the help of human behavior experts, the attempt was to foster an interactive emergency management process that would respond to unforeseen incidents stemming from chemical and biological weapon hazards.
The chief objective of this study was to encourage an organization-wide communication network that could effectively address unforeseen hazards specific to the situation. Program development began with a stratified assessment of needs, identification of dangers to first responders, and assignment of team-training sessions. Leadership and resilience training was introduced to team leaders across all disciplines. Subject matter included proactive planning, problem solving, informal horizontal and vertical communication, and stress-management coping techniques.
The results were addressed in an “operation and people” orientation supporting more effective and compatible emergency management. The article aims to describe the process and focus on the need for a broad-spectrum view in specific circumstances. Unlike military units, the civilian hospital staff at risk, which would be expected to manage chemical and biological casualties, requires adequate personal consideration to enable effective functioning. Further issues remain to be addressed.
Name of Researcher: Alison Stevens
Institution: Integrative Center for Homeland Security, Texas A&M University
Date Posted: April 30, 2008